Firearm.



A. T. DAWSUN @L G. T; BECKHAM.

PIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED'MAY 13, 1913. I ,?7,873 Y Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

` SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. T. DAWSON d: G. T. BUGKHAM.

HRBARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1913.

Patented Nov. 1, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. kfw

. T. DAWSON v G. T. BUGKHAM.

Patented NOVA, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

eGGCNC A. T. DAWSON G. T. BUCKHAM.

HRBARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1913. 1,977,873, i Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

yX o f if A. T. DAWSON & (LDT. BGKHAM.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1s, 191s.

1,077,873. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1913.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

'BUCKHAM,

Great Britain, residing at Vickers House,

TED sTATEs PAE ARTHUR TREvO'n. DAwsoN AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKEAM, or WEsTMINsTEE, Lort- DON, ENGLAND, AssIGNons To IvIcKEEs LIMITED, on WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

FIE'EARM.

Specification o f Letters IPatent.

Patented Nov. a, 1913;

Application led May 13. 1913. Serial No. 767,266.

To all whom# 'may concern:

Be it knownthaty we, ARTHURI 'EREvoR DAWSON, knight, and GEORGE. THOMAS both subjects of the King oi Broadway, Westminster, .iny thecounty of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or; Belating to Firearms, ,of which the following 1s a speciication.

This invention relates `particularly' toautomatic rifles.

The first portion of the inventionrhas reference to the extractor `and consists in v'de'tachably carrying it by the bolt head,

and detachably retaining itin position by aspringcomposed of a ring of metal which is split or formed with a transverse gap -its object to provide improved'means whereso that notonly can the ring be readily ex- -panded when being placed in position or removed, but it also provides the extractor with the resiliency required for enabling itA to, engage with the rim of the cartridge.

According to another portion of the in l vention the re arm is provided in addii tion to the barrel recoil spring, with abuifer spring which is composed of a helically slotted tube which surrounds the barrel recoil spring for a portion of its length, the helical slot being preferably of greater pitch than that of the convolutions of the barrel recoil spring.

The third portion of the invention relates f to the device (termed the hand slide) emthe breech bolt so that the latter can-be i operated by the said hand slide, Whatevery position the bolt may occupy.

We also employ a device which, when the hand slide is in its forward position,will

automatically move the aforesaid member f or head out of thefpath of recoil of the part of: the breech bolt isleeve with which the said head or member engages. By this means there is no possibility. of the hand slide,` when it has mrved forward, being ileft in ,y position such that itsv member or ghead would be fouled by the sleeve of the @breech bolt when the firearm is tiring' auto-- igmatically.

lmounted on adetachable plate` sothat these parts can be placed in and removed fromy the riiie as an independent unit.l Accordging to this invention the-said plate is pro-V vided at its front andrear endswith ribs lor'projections which slidably tit into corresponding recesses in the magazine -wallfandY {the stock', the said plate carryingin addi' I Another portion of the invention relatesv 4to trigger mechanism of the kind that is tionto the trigger mechanism, asafety lever that coperates l with. the trigger mechanism,

yfor normally holding it inoperative. Y

A further.- portion ot the invention hasl :torl

,by .the breech bolt and its spring andthe ifiring pin and its spring can be removed sthe necessity of dismantling any otfthe ,other parts of the riile.

According to this invention the Sear and the pawl that retains the bolt in the retraoted' position are mounted on a plate de- .gtachably secured to the. casing of'the ire iarm and normally;y locked in position by Qnieans of' a catch device which is of such a.'

@character thatl it cannot be moved into the from the rifle as an integral unit, withoutv unlocked position to permit the said plate to ,be removed unless the sear is raisedv by the flange of the tiring pin, that is to say, until the tiring pin and the breech bolt` are in' ,their fully retracted positions. The said goa-tch deviceis also so constructed and arranged that whenit is moved into its locked iposition, the scar is positively prevented 'from being moved` out of engagement with the tiringA pin, so that theliring pin is prevented Vfrom being accidentally released iduring the removal of the parts.

In order that the said invention may be understood and readily, car ried into e ect, we will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the improved extractor applied to'an auto-V more clearl matic rifle, and Fig. 2 is a, transverse section, taken approximately on the line 1- 1 of Fig.4 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of` al rifle showing our improvedl butler spring,

tion, a side elevation, a rearelevatio'mand a plan on an enlarged scale, of the afore.

said spring controlled movable head' de'- tached fromthe'rile. Figs. 11, 12 Aand 13 are side elevations showing a constructional form of theaforesaid device for automatically moving the handslide out of,engage 4ment with the bolt sleeve; in these three ligures the handslide is shown fully withdrawn, about to be moved out of engagement, and actually moved out of engagement respectively. Fig. 14 is a section taken approximately on the -line 2. 2 of Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is a section taken approximately on the line 3. 3 of Fig. 14 and Fig. 16 is a section taken approximately on the line 4. 4 of Fig. 13. Fig. 16a is a view similar to Fig. 12 and Fig. 16b is a section on the line 5. 5 of Fig. 16a, showing another constructional form of the said device. Fig. 16c is a view similar to Fig. 18 and Fig. 16d is a section on the line 6. 6 of Fig. 16c showing the construction of Figs. 16Z1 and 16b in another position. Fig. 17 is a longitudinal section .of a rifle showing the improved detachable plate carrying'the trigger mechanism and the safety lever. Fig. 18 is a. longitudinal section. Fig. 19 a plan, and Fig. 20 an end elevation showing a constructional form of the means for enabling the breech bolt, its spring, the firing pin and its spring to be removed as an integral unit. Figs; 21 and 22 are elevations ofimportant parts of the invention, Fig. 22 being in section. Figs.

23 and 24 are sectionstaken on the lines` A 1-1 and 2-2 of Figs. 21and 22 respectively. Figs. 25 and 26 are side elevations viewed respectively from the right and from the Aleft showing a portion of an automatic rifle provided with our herein described improvements. Figs. 27, 28 and 29 are transverse sections taken approximately on the lines 1. 1 2. 2 and 3. 3 of'Fig. 17, Figs. 27 and 28 being viewed from the rear, and Fig. 29 from the front.

A is the riiie barrel, A the barrel extension, A2 the stock of the rifle, AO the casing 1olf the riie, B the bolt sleeve and B the bolt ead..

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 C represents the extractor formed with an extracting groove c, and D representsthe aforesaid ring which is herein referred to as the spring ring.

In the example shown, the extractor C is disposed in a recess or keyway b in the bolt head B and is formed at its rear end with an upwardly projecting toe-piece C which engages in a helical groove b in the interior of the bolt sleeve B. The extractor -tracting groove to engage therewith.

may also be provided on its under surface withA a projection C2 which engages in a recess bx in the bolt head. The front portion of the extractor that serves as one of the walls of the extracting groove c is inclined as shown in Fig. 1 to enable it to ride over the head of the cartridge in the chamber of the barrel, so as to permit the e'lx- Tie rear part of the extractor' is formed with an inclined lower surface c; the junction of this inclined surface with the flat surface in Contact with the recess orleyway b constitutes the fulcrum about which the extractor rocks when the extracting groove is about to engage with the head of a cartridge, it being understood that when this operation is being performed the bolt sleeve is in its rearmost position with the toe-piece C at the forward end of the groove b. The extractor is in the example shown, formed on its upper surface at a point approximately half way between the toe-piece C and the extractor groove c with a heini-spherical projection Cx which is adapted to engage in a similarly shaped recess in the spring ring D. This ring is disposed between the vforward end of the bolt sleeve B and the rear surfaces of the locking lugs on the bolt head B. The ring is split as aforesaid to enable it to be expanded and removed.

The removal of the extractor is effected by drawing the bolt sleeve B rearwardly as far as the toe-piece C will permit and depressing the rear portion of the extractor about its aforesaid fulcrum; the toe-piece C is then free of the groove b so that by shifting the bolt sleeve farther tothe rear the extractor can be lifted out of position after the ring D has been removed. be seen that, as hereinbefore stated, the ring D, in addition to retaining the extractor in place, also serves as a spring tonormally hold it in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, E is the barrel recoil spring and E its guide rod. F represents the buffer spring. The buffer It will.V

spring is constructed from a tube of steel or other suitable material in which one or more helical slots F are cut, the pitch of these slots being as aforesaid greater than that of the convolutions of the barrelrecoil spring E. These slots do not extend to the ends of .the tube, with the result that a square conably, as shown, approximately half that of novanta is capable of exerting great power of resist-ance and byI reason of the fact that it is karranged concen'trically around the barrel "recoil spring, conduces to economy of space.

Furthermore the long pitch helical coils of the buffer spring formed by the slots F prevent.V 'any possibility of the barrel recoil spring becoming entangled with the buffer i spring.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 16, G is the hand slide and Gr its operating handle. H represents the aforesaid movable member or head,

f and H its spring.r In the example shown,

the hand slide G is in the form of a cylindrical -rod and is recessed or madehollow as shown in Fig. 1 to receive at its forward part a plug 7L which is detachably secured in position by means Yof a pin and slotarrangemenaand carries one end of the-spring H.r This spring is of the flat torsion type and its rear end is connected to a stem k of the aforesaid member or head H. This member or head is provided with a lateral extension Hx which is adapted to engage with. a lug .Ax on the bolt sleeve B. The

ysaid lateralextension has a finger piece hx which is disposed between two projections l g, gx on the hand slide G, lwhich are arranged in different planes so' that they engage on opposite sides of the finger piece h", and serve to positively move the head H when the hand slide is angularly displaced. When the hand slide G is angularlydisplaced'by the handle G in an anti-clockwise direction, (when viewed from the rear) the said lateral extension Hx engages behind the lug A* on the bolt sleeve B, the projection g on the hand slide G being thenin front of the said lug. By these means the breech bolt can be ymoved by hand when the rifle is to be used as an ordinary hand loading rifle.

AIn the event of the breech bolt .not properly returning to the firing position when the rifle is working automatically,t'he ltand slide is turned aboutfits axis in an anti# clockwise direction, and is then displaced longitudinally rearward until an inclined face on the lateral extension Hx on the aforesaidl member or head' H coperateswith a similaisurface on lthe lugrix of the bolt sleeve. The'member or vhead H isvthereby angularly displaced in a clockwise direction f against the resistance of the torsion spring Hf until it passes the lug Ax, whereupon the spring causes the member or head vto be angularly displaced 1n an anti-clockwise direction so that its lateralextension H assumes a position behind the lugs; at the same time the project-ion y* on the hand slide bears against `the frontI surface-of the lug Ax; The

jsion H and the p'rojectiongvx andthe bolt canv then be either retracted or moved for@ Ward as desired by displacing thehand slide in the required direction. f

Referring to Figs. 11 to 16, J represents the aforesaid device that yis adapted to autolmatically move the hand slide out of the* path of recoily of thebreech bolt sleeve A2..

This device is in the form of-a spring conl. 'trolled lever plvoted at its rear end by means f of a pin j'to kthe recoil guide J X orl other relatively stationary part of the firearm. This lever receives at its forward end a spring J. The forward part of the longitudinally^ sliding bar or rod G of the hand slide. is formed at one side of its' axis with a longitudinal recess, slot o r the like g which, when the bar or rod is nearlng -its forward posif tion, is adapted lto engage with the spring controlled lever J. This-lever is provided.

with a curved or .inclined projection J2 which, as the hand slide nears its forward position, engages with the recessv or slot g in the sliding bar or rod G and isthereby rocked about its pivot toecompress the spring J. (See Figs. 12, lil and 15.) When the handle G of the sliding bar or rod is released bythe operator (Figs. 13 and 16), the spring J through theintermediaryofthe pivoted lever J, rocks the sliding bar, or rod about its axis and moves the head or member HX carried thereby out of engagement with In the modification shown in Figs. 16 to 16d, the device J `is carried by the forwardv `end of the rod or bar G, and is in the form of a flat spring havingan inclined surface on its forward end that is adapted to cooperate with-a corresponding surface j on- `the recoil guide JX when the bar or rod nears its forward position (Figs. 16a and 16h) to rock the said bar or rod about its axis as aforesaid (Figs. 16c and 16d).

In Fig. 17 K is the trigger and K the vtrigger bar pivotally connected thereto. L

is the safety device which is'in the foi-mot' a grip lever.I M represents the afo'resaidde' 4tachable plate and m the trigger guard integral therewith." Nrepresentsthe spring catch for'normally retaining the-said plate in position. l l' 4The detachable plate M carries pins m,

m* onwhich the grip lever and the trigger K are pivotally mounted, and the saiddetach'able plate extends to the rear as faras the forward 'part of thestock and to the frontas far as thegr'ear wallof the maga-- zine, as is clearly seenin the drawing.A The Vre'ar end of the saidplate i s f gr 111ed with a rib M which is adapted to tit into a groove formed in a metal part A2x of the stock A2.

An upward extension of the plate M that carries the pin m on which the grip lever L is pivoted, has a rearward gnge M/x that v bears against tlie frontend of the plate M.

The said plunger is carried by the rear wall O of the magazine and has a head or extension N which engages in a recess in the rear end of the magazine cover O tov retain the latter in position. By slightly displacing the plunger in an upward direction, (for example by means of the nose of a can ="""`tridge) its head or extension N can be disengaged from the magazine cover O and the latter can be removed by sliding it rearwardly; by affurther displacement of the plunger N, the lateral projection n thereon it retracted durin is moved out of engagement with the plate vM, and the latter can then be detached by sliding it in a forward direction.

The trigger mechanism is of the kind already proposed by us, wherein the trigger bar K is so disposed in relation to a relatively stationary stop (represented by the pin m), that after the trigger has been pulled through the greater portion of its movement in releasing the firing pin, it. cooperates with the said stop so that an increased resist-ance is obtained during the final pull on the trigger in releasing the firing pin; a spring Kx is interposed between the trigger barK and a rearward extension K2 of the trigger. The grip lever L is formed with a toe-piece Z that normally engages with a part 7c of the trigger to hold vit inoperative, and is also provided with a forward extension L having a projection Z that is adapted (in the case of an automatic rifle) to engage with the breech boltto hold the recharging of the magazine. The grip lever is provided with Aa fiat spring Lx against which a pin Ai (carried by the metal part A of the stock) bears to normally retain the said lever in the safety rposition shown. l

In Figs. 17 and 18 P is the pawl that retains the bolt in the retracted position, and

Q, is the sear. P is the bolt spring, and Q the firing pin spring. R represent-s the plate upon which the pawl and sear are mounted, and S is the aforesaid catch device. In the example shown, the pawl P and the sear Q c are mounted on a pivot pin 1 carried by the plate R. This plate is formed with interkscrew A3* carried by the stock A2.

rupted fillets r which engage with corresponding grooves in the casing-Ao of the i to engage with one or other of two-recesses r2, fr formed in a transverse pin R2 carried by the plate R. The lower surface of the casing S lis furnished with a rib sX that is adapted to normally engage in a slot a he said casing has an inclined surface s3 which, when the firing pin is in its forward or fired position, engages with a projection Q on the seal' Q, to prevent the casing from being displaced from the position shown when the firing in and bolt are in the forward position. Vhen however the bolt is retracted, the movement ofthe sear Q into engagement with the firing pin slightly rocks the sear, whereupon the said projection g no longer prevents theV casing from being lifted to withdraw the rib sX from its slot in the screw A3". In order that the said casing may be raised, it'is provided with a slot s* (Fig. 18) for .the reception of the rim of a.

cartridge, or with a finger piece (Figs. 19 to 23). After the casing S has been lifted as aforesaid the carrier S can be angular-ly displaced and during this movement a curved rib 3"* or the like thereon cooperates with a corresponding rib g* on the sear Q in order to positively hold the latter in engagement with the ring pin. During the di'splacementof the carrier, the projection s2 moves out of engagement with the recess r2 and into engagement with the recess r3,

-thereby retaining the carrier in its displaced position. The said carrier together with the plate R can then be moved about the axis of the rifle in` order to disengage the interrupted threads 1" of the plate from the grooves in the casing A, whereupon the plate together with the scar Q, the firing pin and its spring Q', the pawl P, the bolt and its spring P can be removed intact while the firing pin and the bolt are in the retracted posit-lon.

In the example illustrated (Figs. 18 to 24) the breech action to which our improvements are particularly applicable is of the kind heretofore proposed by us, in which the guide rod of the firing pin spring Q is carried by the downward extension q* of the sear, so that the spring Qitends to retain the sear in engagement with the firing pin, and in which the guide rod pof the bolt return spring is carried by a releasing slide Px engaging with a projection px on the bolt retaining pawl P, the said spring :geraete reception or' the heini-spherical projection on I the extractor.

2. ln an automatic fire-arm, the combination with tli recoiling barrel and its recoilv spring, of a buffer spring composed of a helio-ally slotted tube that surrounds tlie recoil spring for a portion of its length.

3. ln an automatic tire-arm, the combination with the breech bolt, of a longitudinally sliding member baving a slight rotary movement and serving as a band slide for said bolt, means for imparting rotary movement to said sliding member to return it to normal position after 'completion or" its forward movement, an angularly movable breech bloclr` coupling member carried by said sliding member and a spring for controlling the angular movement or said angulariy movable membern 4f. ln an automatic lire-arm, the combination with the breecli bolt, of a longitudinally sliding member having a slight rotary movement and serving as a loa-nd slide tor said bolt, means :t r imparting rotary movement to said sliding member to return it to normal position after completion oi24 its forward movement, an angularly movable member carried by said sliding member, a spring :tor controlling tlie angular movement of said angularly movable member, a lateral eXtension and idr-,ger piece Ion said angularly movable member, l and tvvo projections on said longitudinally sliding member between vvliicli the lnger piece is loosely arrangedu 5. ln an automatic lire-arm, tbe. combina- 7itli the b fl', a longitudinally g lido baring a sligbt rotary movement and adapted to displace said bolt, means for imparting rotary movement to said sliding member to return it to normal position after completion of its forward movement, an angularly movable member associated Wit-.lr said hand slide and means tor automatically moving said angularly movable member into tbe disengaged position as the san; slide approximatelv reaclies its forward position.

il, ln an anto tic tbe combina-- tion vvitli the i bolt, of a longitudinally sliding member having a slight rotary movement and serving as a band slide for said bolt, means 1 to said slid;

it to noriard movement, an angularly movable member carried by said sliding member, a spring forV controlling tlie angular movement of said angularly movable member, and means for automatically displacing said angularly movable member into its disengaged position as the longitudinally sliding member approximately reaches its forward position.

7. l'n an automatic lire-arm, .the combination lWith the breech bolt, of a longitudinally sliding member having a sliglit vrota-ry movement and serving as a hand slide for said bolt, means for imparting rotary movement to said sliding member to return it to non.

mal .position after completion of its forward movement, an angularly movable breech block coupling member carried by said sliding member, a spring :tor controlling the angular movement of said angularly movable member, a lever pivoted to a relatively stationary part, and a spring for causing said lever to rock the longitudinally sliding member about its aXis as it approximately reaches its forward position.

8. ln an automatic lire-arm, the combination with the recoiling breech bolt, its spring, tbe tiring pin, its spring, the paWl for engaging with said bolt, and the sear for engaging withn said tiring pin, of a plate, means for mounting said bolt, tiring pin, paWl, sear and springs on the-plate, a' catch device for detachably connecting said plate in the tire-arm and means for preventing said catcli device from being moved into the unlocked position to enable the plate to be removed unless the scar is raised by the tiring pin.

9. ln an automatic lire-arm, the combination 1with the reooiling breech bolt, its spring, the ring pin, its spring, the paWl for engaging with said bolt, and the sear for engaging With said firing pin of a plate, means for mounting' said bolt, firing pin, pavvl Sear and springs on the plate, a catcb device for detacliably connecting said plate in the tire-arm, and means whereby when the said catcli device is in the unlocked position tbe sear is prevented from being moved out et' engagement with the firing pin.

l0. ln an automatic lire-arm, the combination with the recoiling breech bolt, its

spring, the tiring pin, its spring, the paivl for engaging with said bolt, and the Sear for engaging Wit-li said tiring pin of a plate, means i'or mounting said bolt, iii-ing pin, pawl, sear and springs on the plate, a catch device for detachably connecting said plate in the lire-arm comprising a pivotedcarrier and a spring casing movably mounted in said carrier and having an inclined surface and a projection on said sear adapted to engage with said inclined surface to prevent the casing from being moved to its unlocking position when tbe ring pin is in lts forward position.

l1. In an automatic fire-arm, the combination With the recoiling breech bolt, its spring, the irng pin, its spring, the paWl for engaging with said bolt,'and the Sear for engaging with said firing pin of a plate meansJ for mounting said bolt, firing pin, paWl Sear and springs on the plate, a catch device for detacllably connecting said plate in ythe fire-arm comprising a pivoted carrier and a spring casing movably mounted in said carrier, a curved rib on said carrier,

and a; corresponding rib on the Sear, these ribs coperating to prevent the sear from being actuated When the casing has been moved into its unlocked position. l

In testimony whereof We affix our signa,- turegl in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. 'GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM. "Witnesses:

HENRY KING, JNO. R. CASWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iafjencs, Washington, D. C. 

